The Sunday Mirror says the Premier League champions are to undertake a serious recruitment push in South America as they look to bring in the best young players from around the world, ahead of the opening of the club’s new Academy in 2014.

A City insider said: “South America is an important breeding ground for talent and it was felt that this was an area of the world where our scouting network had to be improved.

“Players such as Aguero, Zabaleta and Tevez have been big successes at City, but the key now is to recruit players like this at an early age, so that we can develop them ourselves.”